The Nanadaime Hokage
by DudeBroseph
Summary: The Nanadaime Hokage wakes up in his youth with no idea how he got there or who put him there, but Naruto Uzumaki will not let that deter him from his goals. He had saved the world once and he would do so again, nothing will stop him, not Orochimaru, not Akatsuki, and certainly not some upstart goddess.


The Nanadaime Hokage:

 **AN: This will most likely be the last author's note on the beginning of a chapter because like most people I hate when that happens. I've written on here before, on another account when I was still a kid…by all rights I still am, just in a different version of schooling and with a lot more responsibility. I hated what I wrote as a kid, still do to some extent, but I loved the feeling of writing stories, and reading them, still do. So, I wanted to try and see if maybe growing up a bit has changed my horrible writing for something better, but that's not for me to judge. Here is the story, hope you like it.**

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Naruto Uzumaki woke not as he usually did, a slow-moving corpse lumbering from his wake, not satisfied until its first shower. No, he woke startled, sweating and with his eyes scanning his surroundings. The world blurred for a second until his eyes adjusted to the dark. It was cold, as it always was at night in the village after a particularly heated day. His hands first moved to the side of the bed, feeling for his wife but met only empty air. Frowning Naruto looked to side and was stupefied to find that he was not in his home, at least not the home he had known for the last sixteen years of his life.

Old Socks and clothing lay scattered on the floor, orange jackets and shorts from his childhood years. He frowned and calmly assessed his surroundings, it was as accurate to his memory as he remembered it being. If this was some form of Genjutsu, it was a very convincing one. Looking down, he found himself in his nightwear he wore when he was a child, even he seemed to be the same as his childhood age. It must have been a very elaborate technique, the Nanadaime Hokage mused to himself.

Panic would have set in, but years of mastering himself, his body, his mind, his chakra had laid any feelings of panic Naruto Uzumaki had to rest. He was the Hokage and the Hokage did not panic when faced with strange circumstance. Methodically he stilled and scanned himself for the foreign influence of any form of chakra, thinking first someone must have played a prank on the old prank master of Konoha. Finding no influence on himself, he resolved himself to search the immediate area with senjutsu for the chakra of those who were obviously watching him. He faltered as the world's energy rushed into him, the feeling overpowering him more than it did the first time he had trained to master the power, he stopped the influx of energy as soon as he felt his essence burn. Frowning, he resolved to speak with his old friend in the seal, interrupting the rest Kurama seemed to be enjoying the last month, he did not like interrupting it, the old fox was not the best when woken up unexpectedly.

Gathering his chakra, which obeyed sluggishly and went everywhere Naruto's frown deepened in annoyance. Whoever was playing this twisted joke would receive a serious rebuke. His mind did not wander to enemies, for all his enemies feared him far more than they feared their own god, and none would be so brazen as to attack the Hokage in his home, with his wife and children. There were lines that were not to be trod over, that was a line all agreed was best left untouched. His wife and children were most likely still resting at home, and he would not disturb them now, not with such minor nuisances.

He felt his consciousness fade into the dark as he travelled to the seal below, strangely finding it locked again, with the fox sleeping in the shadows. The number of people who could lock his seal again, implement a Genjutsu of such proportions, create a seal for his unruly chakra and affect his body, had the knowledge to know his past or look into his memories to find them were few and far between. Sasuke could account for most of this, there were many things his brother learned in his travels, and many privileges he provided his friend, such as a lock for the seal to Kurama. Precautionary of course, it was Naruto's job to guard his people against everyone, even himself, and there was no one except his brother in all but blood who could truly face him if anything were to happen to him. As soon as the thought of Sasuke doing this entered his mind he dismissed it though, the man himself while extremely intelligent and capable, had no love for the idea of pranking, Uchiha stoicism and formality were the guiding principles in all he did.

Walking purposely forward he heard the great fox growling. Good, the Uzumaki thought, he did not have to wake the fox, it seemed Kurama had awoken already and was quite grumpy. He got to the entrance of the cage before the fox unexpectedly stuck. A great big paw surged from above and Naruto frowned as he caught it, honestly even the limitations to his body at this age? Why would any fool go so far as to replicate that? It did not matter in the end as he used his potent chakra to strengthen him.

"Really Kurama," The Hokage spoke to the seeming confusion of the Fox who stopped growling and retracted his paw frowning. "This is not the time to play, we seem to be under the effects of either a very strong illusion or a very thorough prankster who went to great lengths to vex me today."

" **Boy…"** The fox's lumbering voice echoed across the chamber, **"Where did you learn that name?"** It was spoken with such malice and contempt that for a moment Naruto was stunned.

"It's always been your name…" The Uzumaki said slowly, did something happen to his friend? Did the prankster, whoever they were affect Kurama's mind? This was more serious than he thought, the joke was getting out of hand. "Do you remember me Kurama? Do you remember my mother? The sage?"

The fox stared for a moment in pure bafflement at the boy, **"What do you know of the sage little human?"** There was something very wrong here, the fox decided, this was not how this was supposed to go, this was not the boy who screamed his lofty goals arrogantly and constantly in the ears of those on the world outside. Something was terribly, horribly wrong.

"Kurama…I think…maybe…I am not where I am supposed to be…" The dread came first, as the realization of the obvious came to the forefront of his mind. Then came the fear in quick succession, not for himself, there were very few things he feared. He thought of his wife, his children, his teammates, his friends, his teachers, his home. Was it all changed?

Of course, he had researched the notion of time travel, studied it intently for a month after he'd become a seal master, before his wife had dragged him away with her gentle hand and the promise of ramen.

He had concluded, along with his advisor Shikimaru that the notion of time travel and changing the past was possible, but was doomed to fail, because any changes made would render the current time non-existent. It was a tough pill to swallow for the then boyish Naruto.

For a second, he was frozen, then he left the seal as abruptly as he appeared and flared his already substantial chakra, searching. When he found what he wanted, he disappeared so quickly he was simply a flash of yellow to his surprised and confused ANBU protectors in the shadows who immediately set out an alarm across the whole village.

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Sarutobi Hiruzen grimaced into his pipe as he received the news of Naruto's disappearance mere minutes after it happened. He did not panic, did not question, merely acted as swiftly as his old tired body could. He told his ANBU to quickly, quietly search the village for the twelve-year-old boy. It was best not for certain elements in the village to become aware of the Jinchuuriki's disappearance. He had faith in his ANBU, he was a leader who had learnt from his vast year of his experience to trust in his subordinates.

While his faithful soldiers in the dark searched, the aged Sandaime mused over the development. It was certainly a very startling thing to happen. His first thoughts travelled to a prank, but the boy had promised his pranks were at an end the day he painted over the faces of the Hokage. The Sandaime was old man but did not believe himself old enough to be fooled by the boy, there were few in the village who could pool the wool over his eyes, and Uzumaki Naruto was not one of those individuals.

His thoughts then travelled to a possible kidnapping, but that was dismissed just as easily, the boy was not yet known to any of the village according to the latest intelligence gleaned from Jiraya and an operation such as the infiltration of Konoha would be a far too large undertaking to happen within a week and be successful, especially with his guards protecting the boy personally. The idea was unlikely. Then the aged Hokage thought on the blinding yellow flash and the way the boy had woken in a sweat according to reports. Had the boy had a nightmare of the dreaded night of the Kyuubi's attack?

He had been informed only last week, and it was possible the boy was only now suffering for that knowledge. That explained the boy's possible distress. The key was in the surge of chakra the ANBU had felt before the boy had disappeared and the flash of yellow they had seen. The Sandaime wondered quietly if the boy had somehow activated his father's greatest technique. The idea was laughable but a nagging part of the old Hokage's mind could not discredit the idea.

Gnashing his pipe, a bit more, an action the aged Hokage was sure his private dentist would not approve of, he called forth one of the ANBU. If the boy had activated the Hiraishin then there were a few possibilities to his location, according to the known markers in the village that Minato had jotted down. He quickly disregarded his office, the Konoha hospital and the Academy, the boy was obviously not in his office and the rest of the locations were guarded at all times, the boy would have been seen, heard or sensed if he was there.

Next, he disregarded Kakashi, and all of the homes of the clan leaders for the simple reason the boy would also have been found. It was vaguely possible for him to have reached Jiraya, but the distance that implied was far more than Sarutobi assumed it would be possible for Naruto. That left two places, the home of the Yondaime Hokage or the Hokage mountain.

Minato's home was closest and the aged Hokage assumed that was where the boy flashed to, but the Hokage had learnt long ago not to rely on a single theory, and so sent his ANBU to check both the home of his successor as well the mountain and every compound with the Hiraishin formula installed in its walls.

It took mere minutes for his assumption to pan out and for the ANBU to have found the boy, not at his parents' home as he assumed but surprisingly on the monument sitting on the head of his father. He ordered his ANBU to stand aside and not the approach the possibly freaked out boy.

He would talk with Naruto alone, this conversation would be difficult, and none deserved the possible ire of the Jinchuuriki at that moment more than he did, he knew that.

* * *

"You've had a difficult week Naruto." The Hokage frowned as he gazed at the young Uzumaki he sat down with, there was something off about the boy sitting on the head of the fourth Hokage's head. "Of course, I'm sure suddenly arriving on the head of your hero was quite the shock." The Hokage's tone was light, his grizzled and aged voice barely carrying in the wind as he studied the boy's figure trying to understand what felt off to him. His instincts had never betrayed him in the many years he'd been the leader of his great village, it would not fail him now.

Naruto's gaze slowly travelled to the old man from where he had been watching the village that seemed so foreign from the one had created as Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been a legend before Naruto had been a thought in his parent's eyes. His skills beyond his peers, his strength the greatest that Konoha had ever produced. Konoha's God of Shinobi. The professor. Naruto had idolized the man in his youth, had seen the kind venerable Hokage as an example of excellence, a goal he had strived to reach. In his youth he had seen the wisdom in the old man, had respected his history, but had been blinded by his idolization of the greatest Hokage. The Sandaime seemed so frail now, his hands were shaking, his back bent slightly, his arms and legs seemed frail, his eyes tired. "You're tired aren't you Hokage-sama." The man seemed surprised, "Maybe you should rest."

The Hokage frowned minutely but kept his eyes on the boy studying. "How can I rest my boy…knowing you sit here, obviously distressed." His tone was pleading to the young Jinchuuriki. It asked a very obvious question, what happened?

Naruto turned back to the village looking at it lost. "Old Man," the habit slipped up annoyingly, his years of proper study and education, his years of preparation, his formality gone in a second. The boy inside him spoke then, fearful, confused as he searched for the right thing to say. Then the Uzumaki paused and composed himself. Calmly he looked back at his aged Hokage, the guiding light in his adolescence. "I'm struggling with something."

The Sandaime's frown seemed to only deepen. Naruto seemed so composed, so focused, so calm. Where was the hyperactive boy he had spoken to that morning? There was no doubt this was still Naruto, no doubt in the unfathomable chakra he felt, the Kyuubi's presence in the boy, no doubt to be found in those clear blue eyes. This was no trap, no decoy. This was Naruto…and yet…it wasn't. It took him merely a second to recognize the same calm worry the boy had as his father before him, it was evident in Naruto's clenched fist, and his pronounced tilt in his eyebrows, it was in his eyes, the fear shone through even though the boy looked extremely composed, it reminded him so much of his late predecessor it was terrifying. "What has happened?"

Naruto could almost smile at the man, always willing to help, never accusing, always trying to understand. It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, his Sandaime, his Old Man, the closest thing Naruto had to family in his youth. "If I asked you, Sandaime-Sama, what you would do if the world you knew, the life you knew was gone, what would you say, what would you do?"

The old man nervously held his hand to his chin and rubbed, a minor stubble had formed, was the boy referring to his past life of the orphaned, alone Jinchuuriki, was he implying he knew? A small part of Hiruzen felt a pit form in his stomach at that idea, but as always, his instincts had guided, and he would trust them now. "I've lost many things Naruto," The boy seemed to hang onto his words, and the Hokage paused for a second to contemplate his response further. Truth had always seemed the best approach to the boy but lying to save his old fragile heart had been easier in the boy's youth. He could not do that to the distressed boy now, he had to be stronger than that, he had to be honest, even if the boy hated him. "I've lost my father, my mother, my sensei, all to senseless wars of pride. I've lost my friends, my wife and first-born son all in service of this village. I've lost students and friends due to my incompetence. I should have died the night of the Kyuubi attack Naruto, your father's death and your mother's death, those deaths I have regretted for a very long time."

Naruto listened, he knew what the old man was thinking, knew that this revelation should have come to some form of shock to him, but he had known for years, been proud of his parents for years for their sacrifice. Been proud to be their son for so long their deaths did not weigh on him anymore. He knew the Hokage was apologizing for the loss of his parents, but he did not know that Naruto had mourned them long ago, he was mourning now for another reason entirely. He had lost his future, his wife, his children. The future he had known was erased the second he woke up to the world of his youth. The Hokage's apology for his parents did not matter, he had never blamed the man, neither did his parents. They were talking and yet they were having two very different conversations, but they were so similar now. The boy opened his mouth slowly, "I'm not talking about my parents Hokage-Sama, they never blamed you, and neither do I." The Hokage's eyes had widened at that, but Naruto leaned forward stalling the old man from speaking as the boy's gaze turned pleading, "How would you react to the world as you knew it, the loved one you knew, simply being gone, what would you do?"

The aged Hokage looked down upon the boy, confusion clear on his face, questions being raised in his mind, but the boy's question took precedent. Above his fears of the boy having somehow met his parents o the Kyuubi, there sat a boy lost in front of him. And the Hokage answered honestly, "I would make a plan." The answer was simple, and it was what he had always done. When he had lost his parents, he had entered the tutelage of Tobirama Senju with the plan of becoming the best ninja possible. He had accomplished that. When he had lost his son, he had sent his best and most trusted soldiers to retrieve him from the clutches of the Iwa shinobi who had killed and taken his body. When his student betrayed the village, he enacted a plan that safeguarded his village from all such future mad scientists, a policy that execution was the crime for such actions. When he lost his successor, he made the plan for his son, protected him, and tried teaching him all he knew of being a Konoha shinobi, Hiruzen had known that teaching a young boy technique would be a pointless affair, but he could teach him in other ways, teach the young Jinchuuriki of integrity, of pride, of the will of fire.

He was and would always be of the believe that Naruto Uzumaki was going to be the Hokage. He knew that the very first time the young boy had declared his intention of doing so. He had known from the boy's young age he would be legendary, he only needed the correct helping hand. He had made the comparison when the boy had been young that Naruto was like a small sapling, expose it the correct sunlight, provide the necessary water and let it breath only the correct air and the boy would rise above his peers, maybe not soon, but great trees always took time to grow into themselves.

Hiruzen watched the boy wrestle with his statement, before his confusion and distressed had cleared and Naruto looked back at the village again with a small fond grin. "You're right Sandaime-sama," The Hokage felt goosebumps grow on his arms as he looked at the boy under the backdrop of the moon rise and stand looking at the village. It reminded him again of Minato, and for a second Hiruzen stared in awe of the boy before him. "I need a plan."

Hiruzen's mouth opened before he could stop it. Anticipation of something he was sure he would never forget coursed through him. "And what is that Naruto."

The brash smile the boy gave him only grew as he threw back is arms and screamed his declaration onto the village and the world. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I am the Nanadaime Hokage!"

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 **(AN:) Hi there, I felt this was a good place to leave it, hope you enjoyed it!**


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